Hospitals have been increasing their prices at much higher rates than what Medicare has been paying out for years, according to the latest Medicare payment data, released this month. Some of the biggest hospital cost increases were in the form of back and neck procedures, which saw a 22 percent increase in the average price hospitals charged from 2011 to 2013, compared with the average Medicare payment increase of 6.8 percent.

Hospitals have been increasing their prices at much higher rates than what Medicare has been paying out for years, according to the latest Medicare payment data, released this month. Some of the biggest hospital cost increases were in the form of back and neck procedures, which saw a 22 percent increase in the average price hospitals charged from 2011 to 2013, compared with the average Medicare payment increase of 6.8 percent.